Costa Rica, and especially the Osa Peninsula, is dense with natural wonders. Twenty-three per cent of the nation is comprised of protected, natural areas, as is most of the Osa. Incredibly, this tiny country is home to five per cent of the entire world's species, including:

850 bird species

3000 butterfly species

200 types of mammals

103 species of bat

350 types of reptiles and amphibians

PLUS an equally impressive number of flora.

Our immediate area is home to hundreds of bird species and four types of monkey: the Cara Blanca or Whiteface; the Colorado, or Spider monkey; the Black Howler, called the Congo; and the adorable Tse Tse, or Squirrel monkey. It is endlessly entertaining to watch the Spider, Squirrel and Whiteface monkeys as they travel by our house or fill themselves on the yard's fruit and almond trees. And it is an unforgettable thrill to hear the roar of Howlers in the nearby canopy. (A Howler sounds like a lion and is the size of a small child. Waking up to their din is a real jungle experience!). Often you can sit on the porch and watch monkeys as they play, swing and eat.

Right out front are the sparkling, blue waters of the Golfo Dulce, home to a rich variety of sealife, including dolphins, whales, turtles and endless fish.

The surrounding forest, including our property, is home to ubiquitous birds, including the magnificent Scarlet Macaw. Hundreds of bird species live in this part of Costa Rica (there are over 300 bird species identified in the immediate area), as well as sloth, iguana, anteaters, iridescent butterflies and myriad varieties of vegetation. Our immediate neighborhood is a principle stronghold of the endangered Squirrel monkey and Scarlet Macaw, and offers more opportunity to view these rare animals than anywhere in Central America. We also share the area with toucans, parrots, hawks, tanagers, parakeets, pelicans, wild turkeys; coatis; agoutis; anteaters; tayras; kinkajous; chakalakas; jaguars; panthers; jaguarundis; ocelots; tapir; and armadillos. In this part of the world, you'll even see many animals you didn't know existed!

That goes for the plants, too: from the giant Matapalo tree to the exotic tropical flowering plants that grow everywhere.